War to Win
by cheeses
Summary: Gladys convinces Betty to go and look for Kate But what Betty is looking for and what she's searching for couldn't be more different
1. Chapter 1

Betty turned to Gladys, taking note of the rich girls shoddy complexion and faded eyes.

Something screwy had happened to her too. Just two girls in the damned same boat by the looks of it.

"Your hair looks in a rats nest" the blatant conversation starter left the pair slightly down trodden.

"I can't close a damn rag top" Gladys followed on, better to play along than cover the truth. "With James enlisted... he left this morning, I..."

"What about the wedding?"

"We decided to run on promises"

Betty rose her eyebrows.

_Yeah sure let's see how that works out for ya. _

Promises.

Gladys was then quick to notice the sadness in the blonds eyes, her bitter undertones, something had hacked at her.

"What happened to you?" Gladys knew it was a long shot that she'd actually open up, but then was sickeningly reassured by her slumped shoulders and hurt expression that Betty would actually confide in her.

Betty felt a steady punch in her gut, a quiver of a lip soon turned into a harsh, bitter expression to hide her hurt.

"Kate left" Betty felt the strangulation of tears try to break through, she masked it, just like all the pain she'd ever faced.

"I don't know where and that's the way she wants it"

Gladys looked over the blond, understanding of the pain ran between the pair.

Betty had lost the one person she gave a real damn about.

It stung.

"Oh dear" a whisper slid past Gladys's lips.

_Oh dear_. It spoke so much more.

Betty will be more of a bitch, was her first natural thought. But she was soon horrified by the fact she'd considered thinking that.

Betty would be hurting, she'd feel a tug on her heart every moment her mind wandered and brought her back to the truth of a loss.

Gladys knew that feeling all too well.

"My secrets out princess"

"I know the feeling... you're still standing" Gladys admired her for that.

"Barley" Betty admitted. "What about Kate?" her eyes had become red. "She's back where she said she'd never go"

Gladys knew Betty had always had to be the strong girl, the girl who never showed she cared becouse if she did, she'd get hurt.

Betty had broken her own code for Kate and felt like her own monster in result.

An army of 'what if's' and 'if I'd just's' ran through Betty's mind.

"I hope you find her" Gladys gave her a strong look, something to try and ignite the flame of confidence that had been so cruelly put out by a love that was unrequited.

"Make sure she's okay...You'll help me get my job back"

"The big promise" Betty spoke sharply. "That we might get the things we actually want" she laughed in a whisper of bitterness. "What if it's a lie?"

"We can't stop trying" Gladys dolled the idea up even though she knew that Betty was right.

"Come on Bets, we've got a war to win"


	2. Chapter 2

The flicker of the bed side lamp woke Betty.

Searching in dim light of her room, she thought it was the intruder that she'd always welcome.

It was just the devil of her own hopes.

Betty rolled over and closed her eyes again, the bed creaked with the shift in weight.

The blond returned to an old daydream, trying to will herself back to sleep, but it just kept her awake with a bitter after shock.

_Would the bed creak so much if Kate lay by her side? _

_Would it make a sound as they slept huddled into each other? _

_Would their combined weight pressure the metal frames complaint? _

Betty felt her eyes sting, but wished the tears away with the simple slap of reality.

Kate wasn't coming back.

The blond buried her face into the pillow and tried to torture herself. Immersion therapy the fancy doctors called it, the more you are exposed to the thing you're scared of, the more you become numb to it.

Right now, Betty was loathing how her pillow had still managed to cling to the now dull scent of Kate's perfume.

It was a ritual that Betty performed every night to try and get by.

The scent would hurt her, but no pain, no gain.

A small knock on the door brought her from the ritual.

Betty turned in her bed to peer at the door, like it would just open it's self so she didn't have to pull herself away from such a display of self pity.

"Betty?" Gladys's voice hissed out through the crack between the door and the frame.

Betty pulled herself from the bed with a loud creak and her bare feet padded over to the door, she unlocked it and Gladys slipped in, the damp night air clung to her coat.

"Some would say this hour is ungodly" Betty crossed her arms over her chest.

"You don't believe in God" Gladys replied a matter of factly and stood next to the bed, looking around the small room to give herself time to adjust to the change in temperature and topic of conversation.

"I still think it's a darn assed hour to come knocking" Betty quipped, feeling exposed in her pyjamas.

"Well it was the only time I could really bare to come and see you"

"At _night_, people'll talk" Betty mocked and sat on her bed, peering up at the brunet. "_Bare_ to come and see me?

Gladys strangely liked her sense of humour, but decided not to play along, but soon realised what she'd said had sounded like.

"You do know how to make a gal feel popular or wanted" Betty smirked, knowing Gladys had worded her intended sentence wrong.

"Betty, I've been thinking about you all day"

Betty was taken off guard, her words were unromantic, which reassured her that Gladys hadn't flipped the coin so to speak.

"And?"

"_And _I think I might know how to find Kate"

The words fell like a ton of bricks on to Betty.

"_Find?_" Betty flexed her jaw. "She _doesn't want_ to be found"

"But _you_ want to find her" Gladys gave a small smile.

"You know what princess, I'm not sure if I do or don't" Betty hugged herself.

Gladys was taken back.

"But you always know what you want"

"Yeah, but the one thing I want... wanted... whatever, is gone"

"You mean to say you've got over her in the space of a month?" Gladys wasn't convinced, her expression confirmed it.

"She's probably forgotten me" Betty's voice broke and Gladys sat by her side, the bed creaked in protest of the extra weight.

"I hardly think anyone can forget you" her eyes were playful with a hope.

"No, really, she's... she's better off without me... she said so her damn self" Betty's eyes began to sting and her voice quivered.

Betty thumped her knee in anger and bit down on her lip.

"But you have to fight" Gladys held the side of her face in a soft caress.

"When I have nothing to really fight for"

"You have yourself!" Gladys pressed their foreheads together. "You have to fight for Kate, she needs to come back, her father... her old life is the one thing that she's scared of, she's not scared of you"  
"She's better off without me Gladys" Betty winced and pulled away.

"But I _need_ you" Gladys pleaded. "I need you both"

"Why would someone possibly want me?"

"Because you're the only woman here who actually stands up for what is right, I want to be like that and if you're not being strong and you're waiting for something to happen, then how are the rest of us going to hold it together?... We make our own path, and you need to pick yourself up and get running" Gladys had her hand clasped on her side of Betty's neck, rubbing her thumb across the skin, soothing the other woman.

"You are really something ain't you princess" Betty sighed, smiling softly.

"You are my muse" Gladys shrugged, a tiny giggle carried the words.

"I can't believe I'm saying this... where do we start?"


	3. Chapter 3

Through the clatter of chains and the heavy thuds of passing munitions, Gladys tried to concentrate on the task at hand but her mind was straying to the excitement of her own private mission.

The natter of women working around her made the perfect back drop for a day dream.

Betty walked past the brunet, a tiny bubble of excitement filled her limbs in a buzz.

"Hey" Betty tapped Gladys's left shoulder but approached from the right. Their conversation was rushed due to the hawk eyes that watched them from the side lines.

"We'll go as soon as we get off here" Gladys spoke through a smile. Betty nodded and walked off, this was really happening.

Why was it happening? Real life was never filled with adventures.

Betty stood in the winter chill, the wind tugged at her trousers and her coat. As the workers strode past her, she remained still, waiting.

Guarding her cigarette with her hand, she took a steady drag.

"All set" Gladys skipped up to her, taking in the blonds roaming eyes, she felt a small smile creep upon her lips.

"I got us a car" Gladys pulled on Betty's coat lapels, straightening them much like mother does with a stubborn child.

"A car?" Betty puffed out her smoke.

"Got it from Daddy"

"Ha! Typical, Princess, do you know how to drive a car?"

"No... but I've been studying how Daddy and James drive, I'm sure I can pick it up" Gladys looked sad for a second at the mention of James.

"Better to die at the hand of someone I know" Betty smirked and stubbed out her cigarette.

"Nice to know you have confidence in me"

"Always" Betty winked at Gladys and the pair walked from the yard of the factory.

Gladys's heals clicked upon the pavement with a grace few women possessed.

"How tall are those things?" Betty glanced back over her shoulder and chuckled. Gladys looked back too.

"Not that tall"

"Really, the foot between us begs to differ" Betty knelt slightly while still walking and soon rose back to their similar height.  
"Oh shh" Gladys shoved her arm playfully.

"Where is this car then Princess?"

"Not far" Gladys placed her hands in her pockets to warm them. Betty noticed this and sighed out into the chilled air.

"So" Gladys started. "Is it... fun, liking women I mean"

"What?" Betty did a double take.

"Well, _you know _a girl can't help but be a tad curious about it"

"Oh, so you've tried to go there?" Betty laughed.

"No, never, but I have wondered about it"  
"It's not _fun,_ no" Betty wrapped her coat tighter around her body. "In fact, I hate myself becouse of it"

"Really?"

"Well yeah, I mean, I can't go have all the dandy times men and women have can I?"

"I suppose not... but can't you tell if another woman is well..."  
"We're not unicorns" Betty scoffed.  
"I didn't say anything about unicorns" Gladys laughed airily.

"You're sure makin' me out to be as rare and weird as one"

"Unicorns" Gladys giggled and shook her head. "Where do you think from? You are so queer at times"

Betty shrugged.

Where did she think from?

It certainly wasn't from her heart at this moment in time.

"You know, I think a unicorn is more likely to show up than your car Princess"

"It's just around this corner" Gladys rolled her eyes, still laughing.

"Then what? A mystical leprechaun will drive us around?"

Gladys pulled out a set of keys from her pocket and in sure time, they stood in front of a maroon Nash Cabriolet.

"Nice" Betty didn't expect anything less from this girl.

"Ready?" Gladys opened up the car and climbed into the drivers seat. Betty got into the passenger seat and shut the door.

"I can't believe you dragged me into this"  
"I'm being helpful... now, we'll start south of town, then work our way around this place until we've got her"

Betty stayed silent. Her mind wondered to a distant, but cruel memory.

"_Is this your security report?"_

"_Please Betty don't look"_

"_Kate, you need this to work"_

"_...It's not real"_

"_Why?"_

"_Because Kate Andrews doesn't exist"_

"_How'd you get your other papers?"_

"_My Mother helped me buy false ones, but no security report, there too hard to forge they've got these seals and water marks... if my father finds me, he'll make sure I can never leave again"_

Betty was pulled out of the memory with the scream of a passing car horn.  
"Look out for a damn crazy preacher" Betty mumbled bitterly as the car roared to life.

"I'll keep that in mind" Gladys looked triumphant in the success of starting the car up.

Gladys drove a few meters before stalling it.

Their bodies jerked like flies in a shaken match box.

"Jesus!" Betty gasped and Gladys gave a breathy laugh.

"I'll get the hang of it"

"You better! I don't wanna end up with my face in the dash board"

The trundle of the cars engine sounded through the streets of Toronto.

Gladys had returned to their previous topic.

"How do you exactly...erm... do...have,erm, with a girl?"

"You wont quit will you?" Betty had her chin resting on her hand propped up against the window.

"I'm just curious"

"Apparently" Betty looked at her then back out of the window. "You ever slipped a peek into yourself?"

"What?" Gladys gasped, a crimson blush flushed her cheeks, she nearly slammed the breaks on. Betty chuckled deeply.

"From your brilliant tomato impression, I'm thinkin' yeah, you have, you just do that"

"Oh"

A silence fell between them until Gladys began to laugh at it, Betty smirked and began to laugh too.

"It's just so... well, strange"

"You're tellin' me" Betty chuckled.

"How did you know?"

"Know?"

"Yeah, how did you know you liked women?"

Betty had been trying to fathom the root herself of it all of late.

"I dunno"

"You must!"

"Well I don't Princess"

"It's a strange thing love" Gladys's voice trailed off as if she'd submerged herself in a day dream.

"It's damn painful"

"I agree... but we either move on or still stand and fight" Gladys seemed to reassure herself with the fact.

"Where do you think a preacher would bible bash?"

"The recruitment centres or near shops" Gladys nodded as she spoke.

"Then that's the place to start" Betty felt her heart begin to hammer and her head spin, they were doing this, they were really going to look for Kate. It was just the fact that'd she'd have to face her again that sent her stomach churning.

"_Kate Andrews doesn't exist"_

Gladys parked down a back alley and the two women got out of the car to face the winter evening.

"Shops?" Gladys began at a fast pace.

"Of course, where else would _you_ look" Betty rolled her eyes and followed her.

The pair walked down the high street, Betty strode on, only stopping to whistle Gladys as she stopped to window shop.

"Come on, this was your idea" Betty called out, her breath showed up in white tendrils in the air.

"Oh, sorry, it's a habit" Gladys admitted shyly and her heals clicked loudly as she teetered to catch up.

"Look for the most crowded place?" Betty slunk her hands into her pockets.

"That's the best bet" Gladys sighed, glancing over her shoulder at the display of shoes that had caught her ever needy eye.

"That's what you do isn't it" Betty caught the brunets glance back.

"Do what?" her voice was timid.

"You shop, you get the material things to fill the space..."

Gladys bit on her lip and quickened her pace, to ignore Betty's comment. She had no idea Betty could see her like that, yet again, Betty was a hard egg to crack, so to speak.

"You're waiting for the right guy, ain't you Princess"

Gladys stopped and turned to Betty, a few passers by gave the pair stares but knew it was nothing to pry on.

"James is the one" she spoke through a flurry. "James, is the one..." Gladys seemed to try and convince herself the second time.

Betty shrugged, brushing off her mistake but not entirely forgetting it.

The two women walked into the thick of the crowd.

Betty turned to Gladys with an unimpressed stare."It sure doesn't sound like gospel"

Upon hearing a male voice in lead vocal, the both women moved on.

"So what will we do if you find the preacher?" Gladys asked, rooting through her purse.

"I thought this was your plan Princess" Betty to the irritated look upon her features and sighed. "We'll follow him"

"Gosh, won't he guess?"  
"Not if we're careful, we work in a munitions factory, we live to be careful"

Gladys nodded along with her words and they both headed towards the lighter populated side of the street.

"Where to?" Betty looked at the brunet expectantly.

Gladys looked around, trying to search for a direction as if waiting for a calling.

"Down there, there is a recruitment centre there I'm sure of it"

Betty was already walking by the time Gladys registered her pace.  
"Won't you ever wait?" Gladys called in the frosty air.


	4. Chapter 4

**I apologise for the really long wait, I'm so sorry, I had other fics creating chaos, anyway, I hope this is okay. **

**Enjoy.**

**If you want to see the video I made for this copy the link (found on my profile)**

* * *

Betty swung her hands in her pockets as the pair made their way down another street, it must have been the fifth.

Grates upon the pavement spewed a fog of rising air and the distant beep of a car horn proved to be the extent of night life in this side of town.

"I don't wait" Betty finally spoke, clicking her teeth together from the irritation of not having a cigarette to puff on.

Gladys made a small, feminine grunt in acknowledgement. Only taking in the words and not their meaning.

Not until they turned another corner and through the silence, Gladys felt she had to speak, to keep their spirits high.

"You don't wait?" she repeated, her voice innocent with wonder.

Betty inhaled through her teeth and lolled her head back, only then to finally let out an almost bitter chuckle.

"Yeah, I don't" she shrugged. "Sharks don't stop"

"Sharks?" Gladys puzzled, the heels of her feet began to ache and throb, but she pressed on.

"Yeah, sharks" Betty waved her hands above her head, teasing that it was the most common thought in the world. It was shortly rewarded by the two women laughing. The tremolo of their temperamental joy shook through the air and drifted down wind, only to echo back to them. Betty shied a peek at Gladys, by casting her glance downwards then peering through the corner of her eye. Gladys walked with her eyes to the sky, her lips curved into a daydream smile.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Betty stopped in her tracks, leaning on a street corner to gaze out onto the other side of the street.

Gladys shrugged, a tiny blush made all the difference to her frosty pink cheeks. Betty's eyes glinted with the reaction and she pressed upon the matter.

"Come on, Princess?"

"What if-" Gladys twirled on her heel, as if dancing in slow motion. Then the dance turned into more of a squirm, directed by her embarrassment.

"Yeah?" Betty nibbled at the loose skin upon her bottom lip while waiting for the response.

"I was just wondering-" Gladys paused again to laugh in disbelief. "Would I be happier with a woman?"

Betty furrowed her brow.

"Pretty girls shouldn't be talking like that"

"Why not?" Gladys darted her chin upward and prodded Betty's shoulder, as if she were suddenly drunk of the thought.

"Pretty girls don't like other girls" Betty stated bitterly and kneaded her numb hands in need to replace the emptiness with a cigarette. She regretted not bringing even one.

Gladys's eyes were large with wonder, she was soon viewing the world much like a teenager again.

"_You're_ pretty and _you_ like girls"  
"I'm not fishing for complements and don't go shouting it down your horn" Betty wafted her hand. "It's a statement"

"I'm just telling you the truth" Gladys shrugged and rested back on the wall next to Betty.

Betty made a sound similar to 'psssch'.

"Betty?" Gladys hummed her name, it vibrated though her throat, raspy and pregnant with intention.

"Yeah?"

"Don't say you're not pretty" Gladys's voice was soft, laced with honesty. She turned to the blond and looked her up and down, the scope was slow, meaningful.

Betty rolled her jaw and scoffed, she clapped one foot the wall, letting her knee jut outwards.

She looked to the sky, as much as she knew Gladys was staring at her, she didn't need her as a complication.

"Just stick to James, Princess"

Gladys narrowed her eyes the peered to the floor, her hands fidgeted with the hem of her coat. She clamped her teeth together, effectively making her lips thinner.

It was a guilty, almost hurt look.

Betty chewed on the inside of her cheek for a few moments before she spoke.

"What? You're actually considering me?" Betty snapped, her nose turned up in disgust at herself. "I'm broken. Besides, I hardly think your hoyty- toyty higher class society would like me" she peered at the ground through her lashes and chuckled icily, it was a dark sound.

"What if-" Gladys frowned and gulped thickly, her mouth went dry in an instant. She knew if she spoke, her voice would be weak, it wouldn't convey how much she was actually feeling.

"What if, you just leave it be" Betty pushed off the wall and began to walk down the street, she was thankful for the space, but hated the distance from Gladys, the woman was on the brink of God damn tears.

"W-where are you going?" Gladys sucked up her nerves and span on her heel to watch Betty stand at the end of the street.

"My feet are cold, I'm cold, can we call it quits-"

"No! We have to keep looking!"

"I mean for toni- shit" Betty's eyes fell upon a girl, a woman stood under lamp light. There she was illuminated with an a orange glow. Betty motioned for Gladys to hush and back up.

"What is it?" Gladys soon forgot about her awkward confession and crept to Betty's side. Then she saw her.

"That's-oh my lord that's-"

"Shut your trap" Betty slammed her hand over Gladys's mouth, smearing the woman's lipstick across her palm. It was too late, the girl had spotted them, Kate had spotted them.

Kate stood terrified, her eyes were wide, like a deer caught in the head lights.

Betty let her hand fall from Gladys's mouth.

Neither party moved.

"Get her" Gladys hissed, but Betty remained still, so did Kate.

"I-I, I don't want..." Betty felt her heart sink and her eyes fill with tears, her eyes stung as she denied them to fall. Gladys looked franticly between the pair.

Kate looked to her left as a voice broke the silence. It echoed through the street, past the apartments and crawled along the bricks. Kate flinched, she huddled her coat closer to her body then bowed her head to the ground.

"What are you waiting for?" Gladys whispered, she was about to stride over, her heart bold as brass, but Betty wrapped her hand around her wrist. The flash back hit her harder than her heart could really cope with.

"_I used to sing to feel something, now I feel something and sing"_

_Betty took Kate's palm and planted a steady kiss upon it, as if she were placing her heart there to let Kate hold. _

"_I really like you Kate"_

"_I like you too Betty"_

Before it could submerge her completely, Betty lurched forwards, she wanted her heart back.

"Betty!" Gladys hissed as she watched helplessly as the blond marched across the street, Kate stood in shock as Betty drew closer. Kate felt fear sweep across her, her Father was near, he would punish her if saw Betty with her. He would assume she'd contacted her.

"Betty-" Kate began, her voice a mere whimper as Betty stood in front of her, but the sound of flat footed stomps broke their reunion. Kate recoiled from Betty.

"Betty, go" her voice cracked, but Betty was busy glaring past Kate, to face her Father.

"Who is this deviant?" Kate's Father halted in his tracks as he saw who the stranger was. "You"

"Yeah me" Betty turned and held her arms out around her. "Nice to see you again fella" she mocked bitterly and rolled her jaw.

"Thou hast-"

"Thou hast I don't give a damn, tell that to your God" Betty growled and walked forward to him.

"Betty, you're not supposed to be here" Kate whispered as she backed away, to her Father's side, a place that would assure her no safety, but she had to protect the ones she loved, even if it meant staying with him.

Betty dropped her arms.

"Kate, come back" Betty groaned, not wanting a repeat of the last time. "I came to find you, to save you"

"Only the Lord can save my daughter" her Father cut in. Kate cowered.

"I don't want you" she stammered as her Father pressed her back.

"You say that, but your eyes are telling me a different story-" Betty lolled her head back and breathed. "I'm not just going to let you go again, I didn't stay in the cold because I like it, I don't want you as a lover, I need you as a friend, I don't care, I just need you here, with me" Betty stammered.

"You'll leave" Kate's Father stood in front of her and jutted his finger out in some aimless direction.

Gladys hung near the wall, her chest welling with the urge to fight.

"I'm not leaving without Kate"

"Marian" her father spat.

"Kate!" Gladys shouted and finally rose from her state of shock to confront them, to back Betty up. "We need you"

Kate shook her head and mouthed. 'I can't'.

"Come along Marian" her Father began to drag her down the street, she went willingly, much like a rag doll.

"Kate!" Betty ran up to them, her heart was launched into her throat and her breath caught as her Father turned in a flurry and slapped her across the face. Betty felt her bottom lip burst and she stumbled sidewards. Gladys roared with anger and grabbed Kate's arm.

"Kate" she ducked her mouth to Kate's ear. "Tell me"

Kate's Father made short work of shoving Gladys back and Kate whimpered as he grip tightened around her wrist.

"My Mother" she whimpered and her Father crossed the road as a night bus cut across.

"Don't touch her!" Betty spat out a wad of blood but they were gone, before either women could register which way they had retreated.

"DAMN IT TO HELL" Betty ran a shaky hand through her hair. "This, this is messed up" she cried and began to walk back to Gladys's car.

"Betty?" Gladys caught up with her, her heels clipped upon the sidewal roughly.

"Don't, okay" Betty held her hands out in front of her as she twirled around. Her lip dribbled blood down her chin. "Just, don't, don't speak to me"

"Why are you so easy to give up?"

"Oh for Gods sake Gladys" Betty turned, her face red and blotchy with lividity. Their voices screamed out into the night air. "It's over, Kate isn't coming back and I don't want her any more" Betty sobbed, tears streamed down her face and she backed into a wall, collapsing against it.

"I can't take it, not every damn story has a happy ending, even if you are a damn fucking Princess"

Gladys bit down on her lip and peered at her feet.

"You call me Princess, I don't want to be one" she bristled to Betty's words and walked past the blond, she was soon just a figure as she walked down the street. Betty kicked the wall and hugged herself, struggling to let out any emotion other than anger and regret.


	5. Chapter 5

**Enjoy**

* * *

Betty lay awake.

Her eyes were fixed upon her bedroom door, it was as if she was expecting a demon to burst in a attack her.

Her gaze was drowsy, but intense.

_You really screwed up this time kid._

The tick of her wall clock filled the empty space.

She could still taste the copper of her blood upon her wounded lip. It was a reminder, a stern scolding of how fate wanted her life to be.

Lonely.

Nobody could really control what happened, not when other people roamed the earth with alternative motives.

Betty closed her eyes slowly, the let her limbs relax and pulled herself out of her daze. All her mind could think about was Kate, how she had denied her for a second time, against her will.

Betty rolled onto her back.

A German bomber, yes, a German bomber, dream about them, bombing the church Kate's Father is praying in.

Bomb him so his body pops.

Betty gritted her teeth with a mean grin.

What God is protecting you?

A creak sounded outside her door. Betty sat up and flicked her lamp on, the glow hurt her eyes, but hopefully fended off the intruder.

"Betty?" a soft voice travelled through the door. Betty rubbed her eyes and groaned.

"Gladys, I swear I will-" she pulled herself out of bed and pressed her ear to the door.

"I have nowhere to go" Gladys admitted sourly.

"What?"

"James-he's missing in action" her voice was reduced to tiny hiccups of breath.

Betty unclipped the lock with a stiff clunk and pulled her door open.

Gladys had her coat, now damp wrapped around her body. Her eyes were red raw and her face was pale.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Betty peered out into the dark hallway.

"I wanted you to be focused on finding Kate"

"Come on"

"Daddy wont, he wont let me in"

Betty ushered Gladys in and shut the door as delicately as she could.

Betty looked Gladys up and down, everything on the woman seemed to be facing downwards in a sulky, irritated grimace. Betty tutted and pulled the woman into a strong hug. Despite the dampness of Gladys's coat and the frost upon her skin, Betty found it easy to wrap her arms around such a petite frame.

"Today's been a screwy one for us both huh"

"Yesterday" Gladys muttered into Betty's shoulder.

"What?"

"It's past midnight, it's technically-"

"Do you want to sleep in my bed or not?" Betty smirked playfully and helped Gladys's out of her coat. As it was taken from her and slung over Betty's arm chair, Gladys rubbed her chilled arms.

"Take them off" Betty motioned up and down the woman.

"Pardon?"

"You look like you've caught your death, I don't want you to die because it'd mean I'd have no one to tease, take them off"

"I there I was thinking you were attracted to me-" Gladys muttered smirking, she then unbuttoned her blouse. "So you've forgiven me?"

"I never really hated you" Betty shrugged and pawed through her draws in attempt to try and find some pyjamas for her. Betty smiled to herself. "I don't think I could hate you"

Gladys blushed and shed her blouse then set it on the radiator. She slipped off her heels and let them fall to the floor with a clomp.

"Hows your lip?"

"It hurts" Betty shrugged and pulled a night gown from her draw. It was black silk, the only thing that she ever owed that was a luxury piece of clothing.

"You are _sooo_ hypocritical" Gladys moved behind the blond and took the gown from her hands. "And you haven't burnt this, you know, in the _war effort_ rampage?"

"Quit it" Betty glared, but found it hard to maintain a stern and irritated stare when Gladys stood in a bra and pencil skirt. "I actually forgot about it"

"You've worn this?" Gladys's eyes light up with intrigue. She held it up against herself, it came up mid thigh.

"No" Betty hissed. "I bought it on a whim"

"A whim that would lead you to a scandalous night with some girl in a bar?" Gladys bit her lip and swayed her lips. She locked her eyes with the blond and winked.

"I thought you were supposed to be sad" Betty snapped and crossed her arms over her chest, she tried to avert her eyes from Gladys's.

"I can't help it when I'm around you, you make me feel...better"

Betty rose an eyebrow, a look to fend off any suspicion that she was actually charmed by the comment.

"Well, yeah" Betty began to chew on her lip but winced as her tooth caught the cut that resided to the left of her bottom lip.

"Here" Gladys walked into the bathroom, after a few seconds of running water, she was back with a damp cloth, folded neatly. "Press it to your lip"

"Yeah, because I'd press it to my dam forehead to make my lip heal" Betty took the cloth and pressed the cloth to the wound.

Gladys chuckled and unzipped the back of her skirt and with a swish it pooled at her feet.

Exposing her stockings and black underwear.

Betty felt all her brain cells escape her. Unable to stop, her eyes roamed across Gladys, her figure, her curve of her waist, her subtle hip bones.

All covered with milky skin that should be cherished.

"See something you like?" Gladys blushed under Betty's gaze, the blond's stare was intense, like she was mentally undressing her.

"Erm, no, ye-no" Betty turned her back awkwardly and pushed the cloth harder on her lip to scold herself.

_You've just lost the woman you love. Gladys has come here for refuge and this is ALL after you had a fat lip at her about the whole Kate situation.. but she did say, suggest, she wanted you. _

The voice in Betty's head had a charm not many internal voices possessed.

Gladys's feet padded, bare and exposed to the cold wood floor towards Betty.

"You don't have to be ashamed Bets" Gladys whispered, her hands held Betty's shoulders then trailed down her arms to cup Betty's hands. Gladys's body then pressed against Betty's back, her breath tickled the blonds neck.

Betty's eyes fluttered shut.

"You are attracted to women" she lowered Betty's hands from her mouth and turned the woman in her arms. "In all honesty" Gladys took the cloth from Betty's hand and dabbed her lip of any remaining blood. "I'm attracted to you-"

Gladys leant in and kissed Betty, slowly. Betty's bottom was cold with the water that had been applied, but soon warmed as Gladys connected it with hers. Betty let out a strangled moan and pulled away, shaking her head.

"We can't" she stuttered, her reasoning was a sin when Gladys looked so heavenly in the night dress. With her eyes dark, lips slightly parted, chest heaving and nipples erect through the thin material.

Betty pressed her hand to her forehead.

"Why not?"Gladys pursed her lips.

"It's wrong, you-you're acting off this deranged idea that you like me, you've _just_ lost the man you were engaged too"

"You've just lost the woman you love"

"Loved" Betty corrected and ran a hand through her hair. "Listen, you can stay tonight, tomorrow night if you need to, hell all week, but don't go and screw what you have with James"

Knowing she wasn't going to get any further, Gladys nodded and walked over to Betty's bed and climbed in. Shuffling under the covers, she patted the space at the side of her. Betty crawled in after her and closed her eyes.

"Night Bets"

"Night Princess"

Gladys planted a soft kiss upon Betty's lips and rolled over before the blond could retaliate.

Betty opened one eye and smiled, despite all they'd been through earlier, it finally felt like a new day was upon them and not just the same old record that had been playing for a month.

* * *

The morning sun shone through the slit in the curtains, it illuminated the dust in the air and darted across the floor, to creep up over the slumbering pair.

Betty stirred with a groggy moan and opened a tired eye, only for it to be shocked with the light. Closing it again, she tried to roll away but soon found herself incapable of moving.

"What the-" the blond struggled but soon remembered Gladys was sharing her bed.

Fragments of last night slid back into place slowly as she blinked away the spots from her eyes.

The brunet was huddled much like a child around Betty, with her head resting in the crook of the blonds neck. Gladys breathed slowly into Betty's skin, making it tingle and form a impossible itch to scratch.

Betty was holding Gladys to her by the lower back and she felt their legs intertwined. Gladys's left leg was hooked in between Betty's and Betty's right leg was hitched up to Gladys's hip.

The brunets arms were wrapped around the back of Betty's neck.

The intimacy of their position would suggest they had shared a few more nights in the bed rather than one. Betty pressed her lips into Gladys's hair and planted a soft kiss in greeting since they went to sleep.

"Morning" Gladys mumbled and nuzzled her nose into Betty's neck. The blond shivered felt tingles attack her nerves.

"Morning" Betty whispered and tried not to move, thinking it would upset Gladys if she did.

"We should get up shouldn't we" Gladys groaned and held Betty tighter.

"Yeah, we probably should, but with you holdin' onto me like a baby monkey, I don't think I'll be moving any time soon"

Gladys unwrapped her hands from around Betty's neck and trailed her hands down the blonds sides.

"W-w-what are you doing?" Betty was breathless as the ache in her chest travelled south.

"I'm getting you to move" Gladys planted butterfly kisses upon Betty's neck.

"Stop Gladys" Betty whimpered and felt the woman's hands slide under the blonds pyjama top. "What's gotten into you?"

"Hopefully you" Gladys peered at Betty. "I want to know what it feels like"

"What?" Betty blushed and tried to sink into the mattress.

"You know what. Bets, in the car yesterday, I-I've thought about it, I want you, I actually want someone who wants me"

"James-"

"James is dead" Gladys spoke sternly. "I know you want me"

Betty closed her eyes and gulped.

"We need to get to work"

* * *

Edith peered up from her coffee, from watching the steam rise the woman in front of her proved more interesting.

"Gladys, you look as irritated as a dog chasing no tail" she puzzled and set her mug down. Gladys stopped chewing on her sandwich and shook her head.

"I'm fine Edith"

"Tell that to your face" Betty slid into the seat next to the brunet. Gladys thinned her lips and set down her skimpy meal.

"What don't you tell my face what it wants to hear for once?" Gladys drank her tea quickly. Edith rose her eyebrows as Gladys rose to her feet and left.

Betty sighed and looked after her.

"What's gotten into her?" Edith scoffed. "Hold on, what have you been saying to her?"

"Nothing"

"Oh _sure_" Edith rolled her.

"James went missing in action" Betty chewed on the inside of her lip.

"I know"

"Huh?"

"She told me" Edith stared into her coffee once more.

"She cared to tell me last night-why tell me last?"

"Because of the way you act around her"

Betty stayed in a patient silence and let Edith continue.

"You act like your the king of everything and that she's always wrong, just let her be right for once, then she might open up to you more... I see you care about her Betty, don't deny it"  
Betty rolled her tongue around her mouth, a habit to sooth her thoughts.

_Just let her be right. _

"I'm gonna find her" Betty rose from her seat and passed her lunch to Edith. "Eat it, I know you've not eaten in days, it'll make you feel better"

Betty roamed the work floor and the changing rooms, to her irritation, Gladys wasn't there.

Betty neared the store room, the stairway down was littered with stray tags and straw from the crates. She still had fifteen minuets before shift started again so decided to take a chance.

Pushing open the doors, Betty stepped inside. The dim light didn't offer any shadow of another person, but reassured her if anyone did come in she could hide in the shadows until she made a quick exit.

"Gladys?" Betty called out, her voice echoed around the large crates, but no response followed. "Gladys?" the second time offered the distant shift of a crate. Betty walked towards the sound, with her heart in her throat.

Turning the corner, the blond soon lay her eyes upon Gladys, curled in a corner.

"_Gladys_" Betty felt her chest tighten when the woman sniffled and tried to compose herself.

"I'm-I'm fine, just go" Gladys corrected her hair under her bonnet and stood shakily.

"I'm not gonna leave until you tell me" Betty crossed her arms over her chest.

"Tell you what? That I'm a mess!" Gladys sobbed, her voice strained under all the pressure.

"What's wrong. You need to let it out" when she knew her words weren't getting through, Betty knew she had to take Edith's advice. "You're right" Betty sighed and sank down to her knees in front of Gladys.

Gladys's eyes widened.

"I have, feelings for you and I guess I'm scared, because I've never had someone want me"

Gladys sniffled and gasped as Betty wiped away her tears with her thumb. "No one this pretty should be crying"

"You'd be okay with us?" Gladys motioned between them with her tissue clasped in her hands.

"Yeah, I'm more than okay with the idea" Betty pinched Gladys's chin and as she drew her hand away, Gladys wrapped her hand around the blonds wrist.

"So you'd be okay if I did this?" Gladys kissed each of Betty's nimble fingers and caught the blonds eyes, only to hold them with hers.

"Fine" Betty mumbled.

"And this?"

Gladys then placed a soft kiss in Betty's palm, then trailed up the her wrist before her skin disappeared under her overalls.

Betty's chest heaved and she nodded.

_Remember to breathe McRae. _

"What about this?" Gladys moved her hand slowly to Betty's cheek and rubbed circles into jaw bone. The brunette pressed their foreheads together and whimpered as Betty's hands slid down her side to grasp her hips.

"Just kiss me Gladys" Betty whispered against Gladys's lips.

Gladys closed the gap and took time to smile into the kiss. Each seconds promised more depth and connection. Betty tilted her head after a few hurried pecks and Gladys did the same and they connected their lips, only to let each others tongues dip and rub against each others.

"Tonight, I want you to show me-" Gladys pulled away and kissed Betty's neck before saying. "how you pleasure a woman"

Betty shuddered and made a small noise to confirm her agreement.

"Gladys, you'll like it" Betty smirked and bit down on her lip as Gladys popped each button on Betty's overalls. "Although, your doing just fine Princess"


End file.
